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    May 03, 2024  
2019-2020 Law School Student Handbook 
    
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2019-2020 Law School Student Handbook [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Course Descriptions

 

JD Elective
  

  • LAW - 827B Venture Capital Business Transactions

    3 unit(s)
    Using the venture capital financing of a start-up company as a transactional model, this class focuses on the practical mechanics of how a business transaction is structured and implemented from term sheet to closing. The purpose of the course is to convey practical lessons that are transferable to any business transaction. Coursework covers the documentation, legal issues, business issues, and mechanical process of closing a preferred stock financing on behalf of a venture-backed start up. Previous or concurrent enrollment in LAW 802A Business Associations  is required; Recommended: prior securities law class advisable but not required. This course counts toward the Certificates of Specialization for both Business Law and Intellectual Property Law.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 829A Poverty Law

    2 unit(s)
    The primary objective of this course is to introduce students to the unique legal issues of the poor and how the legal system deals with access to justice and indigency. We will review historical and contemporary challenges facing public interest lawyers, legal problems and policy choices regarding poverty, and effective advocacy strategies. These themes will then be traced through three areas of substantive discussion: government benefit programs, housing law and homelessness, and family law. We will conclude the course with an examination of new trends in legal services. This course counts toward completion of the Upper Division Writing Requirement.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 830 Education Law Seminar

    2 unit(s)
    This course will explore the legal framework and policy controversies surrounding public education. Topics will include compulsory education; homeschooling, charter schools, vouchers and challenges to the traditional school model; the special employment status of school teachers; students’ rights of free expression; special education; student discipline; and the quest for equity in public education. For each topic, students will consider (1) the key contours of the law as it stands; (2) how the law informs the operation of the public school system; (3) what policy judgments are reflected in the current state of the law; and (4) what changes should be made to the law in order to advance worthy policy goals. Students will discover the workings of the administrative state and the relationships between constitutions, statues, case law, and executive-branch regulations. Students will explore the ways in which that multifaceted law-making process informs both our understanding of the current law as well as strategies to improve the law. This course satisfies the Upper Division Writing Requirement.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 831 Employment Law

    3 unit(s)
    This course examines the relationship between employers and individual employees. Topics include hiring, wrongful termination, employees’ duty of loyalty, restrictions on post-employment competition, workplace privacy and defamation, and protection against harassment and other abusive conduct in the workplace. The course covers substantive law and examines prevailing assumptions about the employment relationship. While the course covers some discrimination issues, it does not offer in-depth coverage of that area of law.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 833 Entertainment Law

    3 unit(s)
    An introduction to the complex legal issues arising in the areas of music sound recordings and publishing, motion pictures, television, theater, and literary publishing in the United States and internationally. Covers the drafting of contracts in the entertainment industry, as well as dispute resolution alternatives. Students also study the roles of attorneys, agents and personal managers, as well as relevant legislation affecting the entertainment industry.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 833D Negotiating and Drafting Contracts in the Entertainment Business

    2 unit(s)
    This advanced course in entertainment law focuses on the drafting and negotiation of the numerous agreements involved in entertainment projects. Sound recording and publishing contracts in the music business and licensing agreements for the online distribution of music and audiovisual works are examined in detail. Students get hands-on experience in drafting these agreements. They also analyze negotiation points and discuss negotiation tips and strategies with experienced practitioners in entertainment law. LAW 833 Entertainment Law .


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 834F Federal Environmental Law & Policy

    3 unit(s)
    This course focuses on the fundamentals of Environmental Law, including the federal Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, Climate Change, the Endangered Species Act, Citizen Suits, Criminal Prosecution and the National Environmental Policy Act. Students explore federal regulatory strategies, including environmental justice, technology-based requirements, and enforcement methods, as well as alternatives to traditional regulation such as market-based mechanisms. Students also learn tools of statutory interpretation and other skills using PIC exercises and the problem method.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 834G Environmental Law & Justice Seminar

    2 unit(s)
    The ENVIRONMENTAL LAW & JUSTICE SEMINAR explores law and policy issues central to the environmental justice movement, focusing on matters that recur in the Clinic’s representation of clients who are disproportionately impacted by pollution; explores the role of lawyers and their ethical responsibility in representing clients from communities overburdened by pollution; and provides skills training that students must master to become effective lawyers, focusing on skills that are necessary for the Clinic’s caseload. The seminar is a required companion course to the LAW 834C Environmental Law & Justice Clinic , but it may also be taken by LLM students who are not enrolling in the Clinic with permission of the instructor. Such permission may be denied if the Clinic’s caseload is unsuitable for such an arrangement. Corequisite(s): LAW 834C Environmental Law & Justice Clinic .


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 834H California Environmental and Land Use Law

    3 unit(s)
    This course focuses on California constitutional provisions, California statutes and California court decisions that pertain to environmental protection, natural resources and land use regulation. Topics covered include the California Environmental Quality Act, California Coastal Act, California Forest Practices Act, California Endangered Species Act, San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC), public trust law, surface water rights, California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), California planning and zoning law, conditional use permits and variances, regulatory takings claims related to land use restrictions, and the use of specialized mandamus lawsuits in California to challenge the decisions of local and state environmental/land use agencies. A significant portion of the grade for this course involves analysis of the Complaint and trial court briefs in an environmental lawsuit challenging portions of the California High Speed Rail project.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 836E Equality Law Seminar

    2 unit(s)
    In this course, students will work on an in-depth research and writing project under the broad topic of equality law. Topics may include such issues as gender-based violence as well as sex, race and sexual orientation discrimination in the workplace, in education, the military and other areas. This course satisfies the Upper Division Writing requirement.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 837A Family Law

    3 unit(s)
    This analysis of public and private regulation of the formation, maintenance, and dissolution of the de facto and de jure family unit includes the respective custody, support, and property rights and obligations between mates and between parents and children. This course counts toward completion of the Upper Division Writing Requirement. Prerequisite(s): LAW 715 Property .


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 837E Domestic Violence Seminar

    2 unit(s)
    This seminar studies the historical, cultural, and psychological aspects of domestic violence in addition to the civil and criminal changes in the law both nationally and internationally. Students are assigned a reader composed of relevant articles, cases, and legislation.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 838B Federal Income Taxation

    3 unit(s)
    This course examines the fundamental concepts of federal income taxation, including gross income, business and investment deductions, personal exemptions, and the mechanics of capital transactions. Cross-listed with and equivalent to LLM 330A .


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 842D Immigration & Refugee Policy Seminar

    2 unit(s)
    This course will focus on U.S. and national asylum law and procedure, international refugee protection law and procedure, and significant debates regarding these topics. Students will become familiar with the process involving USCIS, US ICE, Immigration Courts, the Board of Immigration Appeals, and the federal courts of review. This course counts toward completion of the Upper Division Writing Requirement.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 844C Civil Rights Practice

    2 unit(s)
    This class explores the practical and substantive aspects of using federal civil litigation to enact systemic change. The course will cover the nuts and bolts of “impact litigation,” including a review of the substantive requirements of specific constitutional provisions and federal statutes as well as unique considerations that arise in such actions. Students will also learn how to analyze the viability of a particular legal action as applied to real-life situations. Finally, we will review the historical development of civil rights lawyering, including the work of lawyers that has led to seminal cases in our country’s history and a discussion of the relationships between lawyers and social movements.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 851A Children & the Law

    2 unit(s)
    Children and the Law is a seminar that examines the unique status of children under our legal system, and explores the fundamental question of how the law allocates decision-making power and responsibility for children among the child, the family and the State. The course will focus on both the theory underpinning the child welfare and delinquency systems as well as the function of those systems in practice. Topics we cover include delinquency and juvenile justice; abuse and neglect; foster care and adoption; and the rights of children within the family. Unlike a course in family law, we will not focus on marriage, divorce, or reproductive rights. This course counts toward completion of the Upper Division Writing Requirement.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 855 Professional Presentation & Persuasion

    2 unit(s)
    Whether you are in the courtroom, or working with colleagues or clients, as a lawyer you must communicate and present your ideas in a compelling manner moving others to action. This class will prepare you to excel in the courtroom or the board room, eliminate nervous tics, think on your feet and capture the attention of all your listeners. This course is graded on a Credit/No Credit basis.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 855A Advanced Persuasion

    1 unit(s)
    Persuasive communication is fundamental to your success as a practicing lawyer.  You may be right that your client is innocent, but he or she will still go to prison unless you can persuade others - lawyers, judges, jurors - that you are right.  Drawing on other disciplines, this course will help students develop a thoughtful approach to effective written and oral persuasion.  Topics will include cognitive science, storytelling, and visual communication, among others.  Students will be required to start this course with a completed writing project, rewrite it, and make an oral presentation involving the same subject matter.  This course will feature interactive lectures, exercises, and group feedback.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 857A Energy & Climate Law

    3 unit(s)
    This course surveys the law and regulation of energy production, distribution, and use, with an emphasis on the legal and policy issues at the intersection of energy and environmental law. These issues are examined in the context of the electricity and natural gas industries, giving particular attention to the statutory and administrative framework governing public utilities and the wholesale and retail energy markets. The class provides an introduction to state and national energy policy, and compares local, regional, and global impacts of fossil-based and renewable energy sources on climate change and the natural environment. Students interested in environmental law, natural resources law, water law, administrative law, and international law should consider this course.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 858D Business of Solo & Small Firm Law Practice

    1 unit(s)
    Many GGU law graduates enter civil practice in small firms or in solo practice. To be competent practitioners they must not only master the substantive and procedural aspects of law practice, they must also master the skills needed to own and operate a small law practice business. This one-unit course, offered all day on three consecutive Saturdays, aims to help develop those business administrative skills. Subjects covered will include: choosing a location; choosing technology for phones, networking, calendaring; insurance; client relations; hiring and staff relations; marketing; relations with other firms and attorneys; and file management. A take-home final exam will be given at the end of the course, which will present students with an opportunity to demonstrate understanding of the course materials through their application to a hypothetical law firm start-up scenario.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 861C Law Review Associate Editor

    1-2 unit(s)
    Required of all Law Review members during their second year on Law Review (2 units/Fall, 1 unit/Spring). (Not applicable to Law Review Board members, see LAW 861D ). In the Fall term, 12 hours of mandatory seminar sessions will be scheduled. During the course of the two semesters, each member will edit and cite check the work of various first year Law Review members or work on selected articles from outside authors. The total of 3 credits will be awarded at the end of the Spring term. This course is graded on a Credit/No Credit basis.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 861D Law Review Board

    1-2 unit(s)
    Required of all Law Review Board members during the Fall and Spring terms. Outlines of the requisite responsibilities of the board members are found in the Law Review Bylaws. This course is graded on a Credit/No Credit basis.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  
  
  
  

  • LAW - 863 Practical Legal Writing

    2 unit(s)
    Starting bar review preparation early with a targeted purpose and approach is essential for exam success. Practical Legal Writing (PLW) is the first of two bar preparation classes students are encouraged to take in their final year of law school. In this course, through an introduction to the Performance Test section of the California Bar Exam, students will begin to develop the analytical and writing skills needed for success on the bar exam as a whole. Students will learn how to organize and write the various documents frequently tested via weekly simulation and review. Individual feedback is provided at several points in the semester to ensure progress and improvement. In addition to PLW, students are encouraged to take Early Bar Preparation (EBP) in their final semester for an in-depth substantive review of the most tested topics of the seven MBE subjects with an emphasis on essays and multiple choice questions. Students who have taken both PLW and EBP will be familiar with each component of the bar exam and enter their winter or summer bar review equipped with the framework and skills necessary to ensure a productive study period.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 863C Legal Methods

    2 unit(s)
    Legal Methods is an intensive second-year, fall semester skills-based course designed to build upon the academic skills learned in the first year. The course utilizes material students are currently learning in their second-year required courses, such as Constitutional Law I, to hone their ability to read deeply, synthesize effectively, and engage in thorough analysis. Additionally, students routinely practice the skill of self-assessment, thereby developing the ability to move their own learning forward. The course is hands-on; students are expected to turn in assignments regularly for feedback, and take timed and untimed practice exams. Most students who take Legal Methods see improvement in their GPA at the end of the semester.   

    Enrollment in Legal Methods requires approval from Academic Achievement and Student Affairs.  This course is graded on a Credit/No Credit basis.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 863E Early Bar Prep

    2 unit(s)
    In this course, students begin bar preparation early in their last semester of law school. Early Bar Preparation will be a  review of the most tested topics of all seven MBE subjects (Civil Procedure, Contracts, Real Property, Evidence, Criminal Law and Procedure, Torts, and Constitutional Law). Students will learn and understand the components that make up the bar exam (essay, MBE and PT) and develop successful approaches to studying for the bar exam. Upon completion of Early Bar Preparation, students will have an in-depth review of the major topics within the seven subjects covered on the MBE, and therefore reduce the time needed to review these subjects during their post-graduation bar preparation period. The course will include instruction on  both MBE and essay writing approaches and techniques.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 865P Legislation & Public Policy

    2 unit(s)
    This course will help students to build capacity to do advocacy and policy-related work. Students will learn to draft legislation and do what it takes to get it passed. The course will provide students with advocacy skills in the areas of legislative research; drafting bills, and building politically powerful support or opposition to proposed legislative vehicles. It will also help students understand California’s policy landscape, including State legislative, budget and administrative policy processes. The course will require students to work in teams on practical exercises building toward their final project.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 867B California Election Law

    2 unit(s)
    The ballot initiative is a process of participatory democracy that enables citizens to directly enact new legislation or repeal existing laws. Today, a wide variety of hot button topics such as criminal justice policy, civil rights, and environmental protections are debated and decided by voters via ballot initiatives and referendums on the local level in San Francisco, statewide in California, and in 25 other states across the country. The class will provide students with an understanding of election law related to the constitutional and legal framework for ballot initiatives in California and the U.S. Students will learn the practical skills necessary to draft, critically analyze, and defend ballot initiatives for government, nonprofit, or private clients interested in sponsoring legislation or challenging existing laws. This course counts toward completion of the Upper Division Writing Requirement.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 870D Mindfulness for Lawyers

    2 unit(s)
    Mindfulness for Lawyers will expose students to meditation and other contemplation methods through practice, reading and class discussion, to enable students to develop an awareness of the way the mind works according to current scientific thinking and ancient meditation-based treatises. This will form the foundation for an exploration of what it means not only to think like a lawyer, but also to think like a human being. In class and for homework students will have sanctioned time for quiet and reflection, which will allow their minds to become more tranquil, focused and visionary. From that platform students will learn how the cultivation of tranquility, focus and vision can improve essential lawyering skills like speaking, listening, reading, writing, analysis, counseling, negotiation and advocacy. Students will also experience how these qualities of mind can lower stress and create greater access to inspiration and happiness in the study and practice of law, and in general. This course is graded on a Credit/No Credit basis.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 871W Water Law

    3 unit(s)
    This class provides an overview of the legal framework and principles governing the ownership, use, and distribution of water. It covers topics that are national in scope, but it also emphasizes laws and issues unique to California. The class covers: surface water and ground water rights, riparian and appropriative water rights, California and federal water agencies, the federal Central Valley Project (CVP) and the California’s State Water Project; interstate water compacts and international water allocation treaties, Native American water rights, instream flow requirements, the public trust doctrine, and California’s water supply-land use legislation (SB 221 and SB 610). This course counts toward completion of the JD Upper Division Writing Requirement.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 873 Sports Law

    2 unit(s)
    This is a survey course covering the many legal issues related to the sports industry-both professional and amateur sports. The course examines the legal relationships between athletes, teams, leagues, governing bodies, sports facilities, licensees, broadcasters, and fans. Legal issues covered include contracts, antitrust, labor, intellectual property, constitutional, tort law, and other areas of law. Sports industry financial and business issues are also covered.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 874 eCommerce and Product Counseling: A Consumer Protection Perspective

    2 unit(s)
    This course will focus on legal and policy considerations related to e-commerce and consumer protection, and will allow students to develop practical lawyering skills from an in-house counsel perspective. With financial services as a use case, this course will cover topics such as FTC and CFPB guidance, UDAAP risks, privacy considerations, the TCPA and consumer consent, transmission of payments, digital contracting, and best practices for mobile app user interfaces. Although the course will highlight financial services, students will analyze novel e-commerce questions applicable to all industries (e.g., biometric authentication and geolocation tracking), and will draft agreements including terms of use and privacy policies.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 875 Patent Law of the US

    3 unit(s)
    This course provides students with an overview of US patent law and the policies underlying it. Students will learn how to obtain a patent, how to understand the patent document and interpret patent claims, and how a patent is enforced. The course highlights important policy considerations and patent law’s impact on current events. Global patent law issues are introduced for a comparative perspective. In addition to class discussions of the cases and statutes, patent law principles are applied in a practical manner in graded student projects. A technical background is not required. Intellectual Property LLM students are required to take this course, LAW 823 Copyright Law of the U.S. , or LAW 891 Trademark Law of the US . This course counts toward completion of the Upper Division Writing Requirement.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 875C Patent Litigation

    2 unit(s)
    This course takes students through the various stages of preparing a patent infringement or validity challenge case through trial. Litigation strategies, discovery, and pre-trial motions are covered.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 884H HLP Independent Study

    1 unit(s)
    Students have the opportunity to do independent research under direct faculty supervision in areas of special interest. They may enroll in the project on a letter-grade or credit/no-credit basis after making arrangements to work with a faculty member and after receiving the approval of the associate dean for student services. Students must complete 60 total hours of research and writing for each unit.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 885S Women’s Employment Rights Seminar

    2 unit(s)
    The Women’s Employment Rights Seminar is a required companion course for students enrolled in the LAW 885B Women’s Employment Rights Clinic . The course addresses employment law issues affecting low wage workers, focusing on both California and federal law. Substantive law areas include: overview of employment discrimination law, workplace harassment, wage and hour law, pregnancy discrimination, Family and Medical Leave Act, unemployment insurance benefits, disability discrimination, ethical issues in employment law, and wrongful termination. The seminar includes skills training components on client interviewing and counseling, case theory development, and administrative filing and hearing practice. The seminar is open to second and third-year students.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 891 Trademark Law of the US

    3 unit(s)
    This course covers US trademark law and the role trademark protection plays in interstate commerce. Students explore the legal issues arising from the registration process with special attention to the business perspectives on trademark protection. The course also examines the interaction between domain names and trademarks and the general impact of the Internet on trademark law. Intellectual Property LL.M. students are required to take this course, LAW 823 Copyright Law of the U.S.  or LAW 875 Patent Law of the US .


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 894D Toxics & Brownfield Law

    2 unit(s)
    This course is intended to provide students with an overview of the laws, policies and issues regarding the introduction of hazardous chemicals and pesticides into the marketplace, and the subsequent handling and release of hazardous chemicals and storage and disposal of solid and hazardous wastes. The course will also study the investigation and remediation of chemical releases, including examining cleanup and redevelopment of “Brownfields.” Students will also review how these environmental issues impact purchase and sale of real property and how proper due diligence and allocation of liability can be handled in transactions involving contaminated property.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 895A Curricular Practical Training (JD)

    0 unit(s)
    Qualified international students in valid visa status may obtain practical training by participating in clinical programs, legal internships and externships, and law clerk positions under the guidance of a faculty adviser. To qualify, students must demonstrate competence in legal writing and research and obtain written authorization from an international student adviser. May be taken a maximum of three times. Open only to upper division JD students. This course is graded on a Credit/No Credit basis.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 899G Competition: Mock Trial

    2 unit(s)
    This course is open only to students who have been selected by the instructor to represent the law school in an inter-school mock trial competition. The number of mock trial competitions, and corresponding student competitors, varies from year to year. Selection to compete in mock trial competitions will be based upon an application and tryout open to all upper division students who have completed LAW 804 Evidence  and have completed or are currently enrolled in LAW 899B Trial Advocacy . Consent of the instructor is required for registration in this course. Prerequisite(s): LAW 804 Evidence , Corequisite(s): LAW 899B Trial Advocacy .


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LAW - 899J Competition: Advanced Mock Trial

    2 unit(s)
    This course is open only to students who have been selected by the instructor to represent the law school in an inter-school mock trial competition. The number of mock trial competitions, and corresponding student competitors, varies from year to year. Selection to compete in mock trial competitions will be based upon an application and tryout open to all upper division students who have completed LAW 804 Evidence  and have completed or are currently enrolled in LAW 899B Trial Advocacy . Consent of the instructor is required for registration in this course. Prerequisite(s): LAW 804 Evidence . Corequisite(s): LAW 899B Trial Advocacy .


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:

LLM Elective
  

  • LLM - 322C Import and Export Regulations and Compliance

    3 unit(s)
    This course will be conducted using the lecture and case-study methods to provide participants with instruction in the core trade law compliance disciplines: International Business Document Requirements, Compliance with Import Regulations and Procedures, and Compliance with Export Regulations and Procedures. It will also provide participants with practical, hands-on training in dealing with real-world problems or simulations that give them the opportunity to apply what they have learned in the classroom to an actual import or export problem and thereby reinforce what they have learned during the instruction period(s). It will provide participants with a marketable skill-set that is increasingly in demand to meet a growing need for professionals who possess the requisite background and skill-set to guide corporations and government agencies through the myriad of laws and regulations dealing with international and domestic trade law compliance. In addition to learning and applying practical skills, participants will be able to participate in long-term research and writing projects to support demands from industry and government for analyses of trade compliance issues. This course counts toward completion of the JD Upper Division Writing Requirement.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 386 Thesis

    4-6 unit(s)
    A thesis is an independent study project for LLM students done under the supervision of the LLM Program Director. Thesis can be taken for 4-6 units. The thesis can be on any topic agreed to by the student and the Program Director. All papers submitted under this program should reflect approximately 70 hours of work per unit of credit. Thesis can be taken for a letter grade or for a Credit/No Credit grade and must be decided at the time of topic approval.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 399 Directed Study

    1-3 unit(s)
    A Directed Study is an independent study project for LLM students done under the supervision of a faculty member or supervising attorney for academic credit. Directed Study can be taken for 1 to 3 units. The project should be on a topic that involves in-depth research and analysis of some particular complexity or conflict in the law with a well-reasoned and supported resolution that adds to the field of knowledge on the topic. The student is to submit a written request to the LLM program director identifying a focused topic and briefly explaining: the complexity or conflict to be covered; why the topic merits coverage; and what conclusion(s) should be reached regarding the topic. The next step is for the student to refine the topic, if necessary, with the guidance of the LLM program director. When the topic has been sufficiently focused the LLM program director will identify a faculty member or supervising attorney who agrees to supervise the project. Directed Study can be taken for a letter grade or for a Credit/No Credit grade and must be decided at the time of topic approval. All papers submitted under this program should reflect 70 hours of verifiable work per unit of credit.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:

LLM International
  

  • LLM - 322 International Trade Regulation

    3 unit(s)
    This survey of the international regulation of trade in goods and services emphasizes the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Other topics include the role of regional economic arrangements (such as NAFTA and the EC), the relationship of U.S. trade law to the international trading regime, the role of specialized U.N. agencies, and the position of developing countries in the global trading system.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 352 Comparative Legal Systems

    3 unit(s)
    This global approach to the study of legal systems in various parts of the world is designed to enable students to recognize and analyze legal problems that might confront lawyers dealing with matters involving application of foreign law. The course focuses on the fundamental historical, institutional, and procedural differences between the common law and the civil law systems, with an emphasis on the code systems of continental Europe, and on their use as models for law reform in developing countries. References are also made to legal systems based on religious principles or socialist legal principles.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 352B Chinese Legal Systems and Governance

    2 unit(s)
    China is the most populous nation today; the rapid pace of development of its legal system in the last few decades is an extraordinary phenomenon in the world’s legal history. Chinese socialist legal system, in parallel with the Common Law and the Civil Law, is one of the major legal systems in the world. It has its own uniqueness in legal traditions, culture, institutions and governance. This course is a good start for students who are interested in Chinese studies and would do research in this area in a comparative approach to enrich the International Legal Studies academia. In addition, it accommodates current or potential legal practitioners by equipping them with sound knowledge and understanding of China’s legal systems and institutions, and how law is practiced in its political regime.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 360 International Business Transactions

    3 unit(s)
    This three (3) unit course will provide students with an introduction to the main multilateral and international rules, regimes and organizations governing international business transactions, international trade and international investment. By understanding the principles of international law and why States have established regimes and intergovernmental organizations and why States have adhered to these legal principles, students will gain a thorough appreciation of the important role these organizations, rules and regimes play in shaping and determining the flow of international business and investment. The students will acquire knowledge on how these regimes and organizations govern relations among States, how they function, the roles of member governments and secretariat officials, how decisions are made and their consequences and how disputes are resolved. As a result, students should be able to identify how and why an international organization or regime can contribute to the resolution of specific problems faced by governments, firms, or NGOs as a result of international trade and investment. The course will use a problem/case-study approach in dealing with legal issues arising in international commercial transactions, international trade, and international investment. Students will gain an appreciation for the intersection of conflicting national legal norms that must be negotiated in order to complete cross-border transactions. Students will also gain an awareness of the international treaties that provide the background for these transactions while becoming familiar with some of the documents that are typically used in international trade.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 360A International Investment Law

    2 unit(s)
    This course examines the law regulating international investment, exploring the range of issues practitioners deal with, including different bodies and mechanisms set up for the settlement of investment disputes, as well as selected international instruments at regional, interregional, and multilateral levels. This course counts toward completion of the JD Upper Division Writing Requirement.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 360B International Commercial Arbitration

    2 unit(s)
    Given the internationalization of the business world, disputes, with increasing frequency, involve parties from different parts of the globe. The intent of this course, therefore, is to provide GGU students with an introduction to international commercial arbitration currently and foreseeably the dominant vehicle by which transnational commercial disputes are resolved. The course will provide a basic understanding of the legal underpinnings of arbitration as well as the key issues surrounding the assemblage of an arbitration agreement; the conduct of an arbitral proceeding and the enforcement issues confronting a successful commercial disputant.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 360C International Commercial Contracts

    2 unit(s)
    This course puts the existing national and international solutions in a comparative perspective so as to work with the sources of such generally accepted principles. Special attention is given to the UNIDROIT Principles on International Commercial Contracts and the European Principles of Contract Law. It will discuss the general principles underpinning international contracts: contractual formation and negotiations, interpretation, transversal general principles, changed circumstances and hardship, agency, third parties, assignment, self-help and set-off. The course will also discuss the international contract practice and its interaction with the various applicable sources assessing the role of each factor influencing the contract (i.e. contractual regulation, national law and transnational sources) identifying the relevant legal problems of international contracts and the proposed solutions.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 364 International Human Rights Seminar

    3 unit(s)
    This course begins with a brief historical introduction to the concept of international human rights and their antecedents. Selected international human rights instruments, including U.N. documents, regional instruments, U.S. reservations, U.S. legislation, and war crimes documents, are then examined in detail with appropriate classifications of human rights in accordance with their contents or substance and the chronological and generational stages of their development. This course counts toward completion of the JD Upper Division Writing Requirement.


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  • LLM - 364G Gender, Children & International Law

    2 unit(s)
    This seminar will examine key legal issues related to women and children within the international context and the relevant responses designed by international law. Each week we will look at current international issues such as gender discrimination, violence against women, women’s violence, religious or traditional practices, including female genital cutting and forced child marriages, abortion, sex trafficking and prostitution, women in peace building, women’s land and property rights, child labor, child soldiers as well as other war crimes affecting women and children in hostilities. This course counts toward completion of the Upper Division Writing Requirement.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 366 Public International Law

    3 unit(s)
    This basic course introduces the progressive development of international law, which primarily regulates the relations between states but also governs the rights and obligations of subjects other than states, namely, international organizations and individuals. Sources of international law are examined. Substantive topics for study include jurisdiction, territories and responsibility of states, the law of treaties, and international liability of states for injurious consequences of acts not prohibited by international law.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 366D Transnational Courts

    2 unit(s)
    The focus of this course is to examine the theory, law and practices of transnational courts. The rapid proliferation of these new international courts constitutes one of the most remarkable changes in international law. Although traditional international courts have served the regions well in the past, new regional integration agreements demand these new specialized courts to ensure uniformity, a predictable economic climate, and adherence to the rule of law. Factors such as increased cross-border movement of goods and services, financial interdependence, and instant communication necessitates familiarity with their various legal practices. Students will examine the expanding judicial roles these new international courts are called upon to play and their influence in reshaping states behavior. Students will also acquire knowledge of the institutional and procedural aspects of these courts, and assess their advantages and disadvantages.


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  • LLM - 373 International Criminal Law

    3 unit(s)
    From the Nuremberg Tribunal to current developments following September 11, this course will provide an overview of international criminal law and institutions concerning human rights, humanitarian law and international terrorism. Substantive topics will include: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, torture and terrorism. The institutions to be covered will include international and mixed international criminal courts, universal jurisdiction, and national prosecutions of serious international crimes.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 378 International Organizations

    3 unit(s)
    This survey of international organizations includes the United Nations and its specialized agencies, as well as institutions for dispute resolution. This course counts toward completion of the JD Upper Division Writing Requirement.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 383 Law of International Armed Conflict

    3 unit(s)
    Students explore the body of law governing the actions of nations and individuals during a state of armed conflict. Topics include the use of force between states, rules of international armed conflict, war crimes and war crimes tribunals (including applications to ongoing conflicts), international humanitarian law, the Geneva Conventions, arms control and disarmament, torture, collective security, women in armed conflict, child soldiers, the United Nations and U.N. peacekeeping efforts, and the applicability of the laws to national and international terrorism. This course counts toward completion of the JD Upper Division Writing Requirement.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 383A Intra-State Conflict & Peace Building

    2 unit(s)
    This course aims to introduce students to the theories of intra-state conflicts and international practices of resolving them at the very basic level. Students will explore sources and causes of conflicts, ongoing conflicts, successful resolution practices, peace building, relevant international law and the role of international and regional organizations in resolving intra state conflicts. General knowledge of or familiarity with international law required. This course counts toward completion of the Upper Division Writing Requirement.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 383B International Humanitarian Law

    2 unit(s)
    This course is designed to introduce students with the International law concepts of Conflicts, its classifications, conduct during hostilities, applicable international legal instruments and enforcement of laws related to protection of persons. Through case studies, students are expected to explore differences between human rights laws and humanitarian laws, prosecution of violations in international forums, role of third parties and the role of International Criminal Court.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 383T Terrorism & Counter-Terrorism

    2 unit(s)
    The word “terrorism” has a complex connotation in International Law. This course will examine the differences between terrorism, insurgency, and armed conflict, as well as the effectiveness of existing counter-terrorism laws. This course will explore the origin of terrorism and motivations behind terrorist acts, introduce students to the efforts by the United Nations and its member States to combat terrorism by state and non-state actors, evaluate the international obligations, duties and sanctions imposed on terrorist organizations, and examine the effectiveness of counter-terrorism laws. This course counts toward completion of the Upper Division Writing Requirement.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:

LLM Taxation & Estate Planning
  

  • LLM - 300A Professional Responsibility for Trust & Estate Practice

    2 unit(s)
    This class concentrates on the ethical and practical considerations that an estate planning and probate attorney faces in his or her day-to-day practice. Focus is given to client meetings/interactions, including potential pitfalls when representing multiple clients and generations and clients with diminished capacity. This class pays particular attention to scope of representation, conflicts of interest, confidentiality, attorney-client privilege, work-product, and setting reasonable fees. The class is practice based and very interactive.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 300B Estate Planning Practice Management

    1 unit(s)
    This course focuses on practical and tangible ways to achieve and build a successful estate planning practice. In this course, students will be exposed to “day to day” operations and tools for setting-up the infrastructure to help attain such a practice (e.g. effective marketing, social media, workshops, etc.). The “psychology” behind growing one’s practice and implementation of specific tangible methods shall also be shared and discussed. The course shall be interactive and student participation is required through the use of instructional exercises and role-plays. (Offered through the LLM in Taxation and Estate Planning Programs. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director.)


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 306A Pro Bono Tax Clinic: State Income Tax

    1-3 unit(s)
    Under supervision of an attorney from the Board of Equalization’s Taxpayer Rights Advocate Office, students assist taxpayers with state income tax disputes against the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB). Students receive legal practice skills training, including gathering and identifying evidence, drafting legal briefs, and representing clients/taxpayers in negotiations with the FTB and at oral hearings before the BOE. Cross-listed with and equivalent to TA 306A. Program Director approval is required for all students seeking to register.
      This course is graded on a Credit/No Credit basis.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 306B Pro Bono Tax Clinic: Sales & Use Tax

    1-3 unit(s)
    The Sales and Use Tax Clinic is a hands-on clinic where students will gain real world experience, allowing them to apply what they are learning in the classroom to actual client cases. Under the supervision of an attorney, students will represent clients who are appealing Sales and Use Tax assessments issued by the Board of Equalization (BOE). Students will have the opportunity to gain practical legal skills including: client interview and counseling, gathering evidence, preparing legal briefs, performing case strategy, as well as negotiating with auditors and settlement attorneys from the BOE. Furthermore, when necessary, students will have the opportunity to represent clients in a litigation setting at Appeals Conferences (informal hearings) and Oral Hearings (similar to a court trial). And although the cases involve tax issues, students do not need to be focused on tax law to participate. Cross-listed with and equivalent to TA 306B. Program Director approval is required for all students seeking to register.
      This course is graded credit/no credit.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 312 Estate Planning Externship

    2-3 unit(s)
    The Estate Planning Externship is a course, providing students with the opportunity to assist estate planning law firms and practitioners while obtaining hands-on, practical experience working on estate plans, conservatorships, trust and probate administrations. The course consists of two components: class and field work. The instructors are estate planning attorneys. The class will meet approximately every other week, to discuss substantive questions and practical hurdles, arising from their field work. Students are required to maintain and share journals, chronicling their weekly experiences, questions, and concerns. The class culminates with a paper/presentation. In the field component, each student is placed with an estate planning law firm or with a practitioner in the greater San Francisco Bay Area and shall complete 90 hours (2 units) or 135 hours (3 units) of field work over the span of the 15 week semester. The field work involves working on active cases in the areas of estate planning, conservatorships, trust and probate administrations. This course is offered through the LLM in Taxation and Estate Planning Programs. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director. This course counts toward completion of the Experiential Learning Requirement for JD students. Prerequisite(s): Prerequisites for LLM students: None. Prerequisites for JD students: LAW 807 Wills and Trusts . This course is graded on a Credit/No Credit basis.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 315 Multistate Taxation of Business Entities (other States)

    3 unit(s)
    Analyzes the tax treatment, tax problems and tax-planning techniques of corporations and flow through entities engaged in multistate activities. The course is structured as a survey course and will cover the rules and regulations in multiple states. Students will be able to request coverage of specific states that are of interest to them in their practice. Topics include: Constitutional limitations on states’ ability to tax multistate corporations and flow through entities, new developments in state doing business standard, state tax treatment of S corporations, partnerships and LLCs, computation of taxable income, business vs. nonbusiness income, formula apportionment, unitary taxation, combined reporting, consolidated returns and water’s-edge elections. Case studies are used to illustrate concepts. Cross-listed with and equivalent to TA 315. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director. Prerequisite(s): LLM 317A  and LLM 330  .


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 317A Tax Research

    1 unit(s)
    This course acquaints students with resources available for tax research, including legislative processes, the Internal Revenue Code, judicial and administrative interpretations, reference services, and electronic research. (Offered through the LLM in Taxation and Estate Planning Programs. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director.)


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 318 Advanced Federal Income Taxation

    3 unit(s)
    Examines the basics of federal income taxation with emphasis on statutory materials; special attention to problems of individual taxpayers and specific rules regarding gross income, adjusted gross income, taxable income, deductions, exemptions and credits. Students are required to take this course as one of the first two advanced graduate seminars in taxation. Cross-listed with and equivalent to TA 318. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director. Corequisite(s): LLM 317A .


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 319 Federal Tax Procedure

    3 unit(s)
    A survey course in the procedural aspects of dealings between taxpayers and their representatives on the one hand and the Internal Revenue Service, IRS Office of Professional Responsibility, the Office of the Chief Counsel for the Internal Revenue Service, and the Tax Division of the Department of Justice on the other hand. It will assist you to understand and prepare to handle practical issues involving your and your clients’ or employer’s duties, powers, responsibilities, liabilities, privileges, and ethical obligations arising in federal tax practice, including access to information; IRS examinations and appeals; deficiency assessments; interest on underpayments and overpayments; penalties (civil and criminal) against taxpayers, their representatives, and their tax return preparers; statutes of limitations on assessment and collection of taxes and penalties and criminal tax prosecutions; and refund and collection of federal income, estate and gift taxes. Cross-listed with and equivalent to TA 319. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 320 Multistate Taxation of California Business Entities

    3 unit(s)
    Analyzes the tax treatment, tax problems and tax-planning techniques of corporations and flow through entities engaged in multistate activities. Emphasis is on California law and how it applies to businesses organized or doing business in the state. Topics include: Constitutional limitations on states’ ability to tax multistate corporations and flow through entities, new developments in California doing business standard, California tax treatment of S corporations, partnerships and LLCs, computation of income, business vs. nonbusiness income, formula apportionment, unitary taxation, combined reports, consolidated returns and water’s-edge elections. Case studies are used to illustrate concepts. Cross-listed with and equivalent to TA 320. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director. Prerequisite(s): LLM 317A  and LLM 330 .


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 321 Principles of International Taxation

    3 unit(s)
    Presents a broad survey of the rules of US income taxation regarding international transactions. Covers both in-bound transactions - the treatment of non-resident aliens and foreign corporations investing and/or doing business in theed States, as well as out-bound transactions - the treatment of US citizens and residents investing and/or doing business outside the US. Cross-listed with and equivalent to TA 321. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director.

      Prerequisite(s): LLM 317A  and LLM 330 .


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 322A Federal Income Taxation of Corporations and Shareholders I

    3 unit(s)
    Analyzes tax treatment, tax problems and tax planning techniques involving transactions between corporations and their shareholders: transfers to corporation; capital structure; dividends and other distributions; stock redemptions and liquidations; stock dividends and preferred stock bailouts; and introduction to S corporations. Cross-listed with and equivalent to TA 322A. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director. Prerequisite(s): LLM 330 .


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  
  

  • LLM - 323 Multistate Taxation of Individuals, Trusts and Estates

    3 unit(s)
    Covers the state tax structure applied to individuals, which includes in-depth coverage of issues related to residency and sourcing of income of nonresidents. Also explores the rules in multiple states and analyzes the constitutional limitations on the state’s ability to extend its tax system to nonresidents. Covers state sourcing rules that apply to nonresident partners, shareholders and LLC members. The course will also examine issues related to telecommuting and the mobile work force. Also analyzed are the issue of conformity to federal law in light of massive nonconformity by most of the states; tax incentives offered by the states to encourage job growth; and specialized topics such as state taxation of estates, trusts and their beneficiaries, accounting periods and methods and state taxation of taxable and nontaxable sales and exchanges. Cross-listed with and equivalent to TA 323. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director. Prerequisite(s): LLM 330 .


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 325 Estate and Gift Taxation

    3 unit(s)
    This course provides an introduction to federal wealth transfer tax, including estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes. Cross-listed with and equivalent to TA 325. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director. Prerequisite(s): LLM 317A , and LLM 330  or LLM 330A .


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 325A Tax Aspects of Charitable Giving

    1 unit(s)
    This course will provide an in-depth analysis of income, estate, and gift tax issues arising in the context of gifts to charity. Basic rules of charitable giving, including analysis of contributions that will and will not give rise to tax benefits, permissible beneficiaries, limitations based on adjusted gross income and other considerations, valuation and substantiation will be presented. In addition, charitable giving techniques will be discussed, including charitable lead trusts, charitable remainder trusts, and bargain sales. Specific giving situations relevant to estate planning will also be covered. Recommended: LLM 325 Estate and Gift Taxation . (Offered through the LLM in Taxation and Estate Planning Programs. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director.)


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 328 Federal Income Taxation of Partners and Partnerships

    3 unit(s)
    Analyzes tax problems of the organization and operation of partnerships including the treatment of partnership distributions, withdrawal of a partner during his/her lifetime, dissolution of the partnership, sales or exchanges of partnership interests. Cross-listed with and equivalent to TA 328. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director. Prerequisite(s): LLM 330 .


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 330 Property Transactions

    3 unit(s)
    Analyzes federal income taxation of property transactions, including definition and mechanics of property transactions, definition of capital assets, nonrecognition property transactions, including I.R.C. Sections 121, 1031 and 1033; examination of the at risk and passive loss rules. Cross-listed with and equivalent to TA 330. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director. Corequisite(s): LLM 318  and LLM 317A .


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 330A Federal Income Taxation

    3 unit(s)
    This course examines the fundamental concepts of federal income taxation, including gross income, business and investment deductions, personal exemptions, and the mechanics of capital transactions. Cross-listed with and equivalent to LAW 838B . JD students should enroll in  LAW 838B .


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 331 Taxation of Exempt Organizations

    3 unit(s)
    Analyzes and compares tax-exempt status under section 501(c) of the Code; sophisticated tax planning for charitable contributions; the use of charitable remainder and lead trusts, charitable gift annuities, bargain sales, charitable contributions as a tax shelter; private foundation excise tax problems; unrelated business income problems; special problems and international philanthropy. Cross-listed with and equivalent to TA 331. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director. Prerequisite(s): LLM 317A  and LLM 330 .


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 332 State Tax Research, Practice and Procedure

    3 unit(s)
    Covers the state tax structure applied to all taxpayers, as well as various sources of law in California (and other states). Also covers resources available to locate state tax law on various matters. Examines state tax practice, states that require registration to prepare tax returns and that regulate tax return preparers. Discusses state ethical procedures and rules dealing with such issues as client confidentiality, privileged communication, malpractice and the unauthorized practice of law. Also covers state tax procedure including constitutional authority to tax, limitations on imposing taxes (versus fees) and administrative provisions governing rulemaking. Examines state filing requirements, estimated tax payments and amended returns. Discusses statute of limitations and the audit process, as well as unique state penalties and reporting requirements. Cross-listed with and equivalent to TA 332. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director. Prerequisite(s): LLM 330 .


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 333 Consolidated Return Regulations

    3 unit(s)
    Explores the consolidated tax return regulations, including their conceptual framework, authority and history; eligibility to file; computation of consolidated and separate taxable income; intercompany transactions, attribute limitation rules; consolidated basis adjustments, ELA’s, and the unified loss rules. An emphasis will be placed on how these rules impact acquisition planning. Cross-listed with and equivalent to TA 333. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director. Prerequisite(s): LLM 322A .


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 334 Estate Planning I

    3 unit(s)
    Examines selected topics in estate planning, including general legal principles relating to estate planning, including a review of relevant, legal documents; lifetime gifting, including utilization of the annual exclusion and alternative forms of wealth transfer; marital deduction planning, including quantifying the deduction through partial QTIP elections, utilization of the TPT credit, and the use of formula clauses; gifts to charity, including the use of both outright and split-interest gifts; the use of life insurance in estate planning; planning for generation skipping transfers; advising elderly clients; and post mortem planning. Cross-listed with and equivalent to TA 334. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director. Prerequisite(s): Recommended LLM 325 .


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 334A Estate Planning II

    2 unit(s)
    This course takes a comprehensive and detailed look into issues such as charitable organizations, valuation discounts, domestic partnerships, family limited partnerships, guardianships and conservatorships, trust and estate litigation, representing high net worth clients, irrevocable trusts, and law office management. (Offered through the LLM in Taxation and Estate Planning Programs. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director.) Prerequisite(s): LLM 334 Estate Planning I .


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 334B Estate Planning for the Blended Family

    1 unit(s)
    For estate planners representing blended families such as second marriages, same sex relationships, and families with difficult children, this one-unit course will explore and analyze technical and tax issues surrounding the marital deduction, discretionary trust distributions, retirement plan distributions, community property characterization, tax allocation and payment planning, post mortem planning, death versus divorce and the individual psychologies of the parties. This course will also address ethical conflicts and dissect some “typical” estate planning documents to show drafting modifications appropriate for the blended family. (Offered through the LLM in Taxation and Estate Planning Programs. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director.)


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 334C Probate Procedure

    3 unit(s)
    The course will cover the types of proceedings within the Probate Departments of the California courts. Students will learn how to handle post death transfers that do not need probate administration, including summary administration and non-probate transfers. All aspects of estate and trust administrations will be studied. In addition, the most common probate protective proceedings involving elders, minors, and the disabled members of society will be covered, including conservatorships, guardianships, special needs trusts, and powers of attorney. Students will learn best practices guides and techniques. (Offered through the LLM in Taxation and Estate Planning Programs. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director.)


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 334D Mediating Trust & Estate Disputes

    2 unit(s)
    Trust and estate practice is filled with actual and potential conflicts among close and distant family members and other interested persons. Effectively identifying and addressing these unique types and causes of conflicts are essential to a successful trust and estate practice. This course will enable the practitioner to sharpen his/her existing skills in dealing with these conflicts and disputes and equip the practitioner with new tools and methods for creative non-adversarial resolution. The students will learn by using real case scenarios in an interactive classroom setting that includes dispute resolution role-play. This course counts toward completion of the Experiential Learning Requirement. for JD students. Prerequisite(s): JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 334G Court Ordered Estate Planning

    1 unit(s)
    This is a practice oriented course designed to train students in the different ways to utilize the Court’s power to effect estate and other planning on behalf of a person with a mental or legal incapacity. Students will learn to: Do estate planning through the use of the “Substituted Judgment process” in Conservatorships; Do estate and financial planning for spouses through the use of the court process known as “Proceedings for a Particular Transaction” where one of the spouses lacks legal capacity and is not a conservatee; and Obtain court approval for the compromise of a minor’s legal claim. Students will prepare pleadings based on fact patterns as the weekly assignments, such that when the class is complete students will have working examples for their practices.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 334H Litigating in Probate Court

    2 unit(s)
    Upon completion of the course, students will be able to understand types of litigation handled in Probate Court; be proficient in oral argument for Petitions and Motions typical in Probate Court; understand discovery tools and prepare a discovery plan for Probate Court Litigation; direct and cross examine witnesses; understand evidence for proof in Probate Court and proper objections, and; be proficient in preparing written Petitions and Objections to Petitions. Recommended: LLM 334C Probate Procedure . (Offered through the LLM in Taxation and Estate Planning Programs. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director.)


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 334I Combatting Financial Elder Abuse

    1 unit(s)
    This course examines the different forms of elder abuse and their respective definitions. In this course, students will study the elder abuse reporting laws, laws that punish the abuser, fundamentals of surrogate decision maker laws, and relevant case law. Students will learn to a draft a healthcare directive and durable powers of attorney. Students will also have the opportunity to listen to guest speakers from adult protective services and the court investigators office. Professor will provide complimentary 200 page desk reference. (Offered through the LLM in Taxation and Estate Planning Programs. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director.)


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 334J Drafting Estate Plans

    1 unit(s)
    Students will have the opportunity to draft simple wills and the operative provisions of simple trusts (without significant tax implications), culminating in a basic estate plan. Students will engage in drafting based on written materials, and also based on information elicited from client interviews.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 334K Internet Law & Digital Asset Inheritance

    2 unit(s)
    This course will provide an overview of Internet Law as it applies to the estate planning and administration profession. The course will also cover a sampling of digital assets and applicable intellectual property concepts and valuation theories along with possibilities and emerging practices for post death transfer of digital assets. (Offered through the LLM in Taxation and Estate Planning Programs. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director.)


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 337 Individual Retirement Plans and Distributions

    3 unit(s)
    Presents a discussion and analysis of the estate, income and excise tax treatment of retirement plans, SEPS and IRAs, including various methods of distribution at age 70 1/2, naming of individuals or trusts as beneficiaries, marital deduction and non-citizen spouse issues, comparison of deferral and payment of benefits during life, and after death, with emphasis on actual case studies and examples of the interplay between estate and income tax consequences of retirement plans and IRAs. Cross-listed with and equivalent to TA 337. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director. Prerequisite(s): LLM 317A .


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 338 Tax Timing

    3 unit(s)
    Examines issues related to the allocation of items of income and deduction to the proper taxable year, including adoption of tax year end; definition of method of accounting; the annual accounting concept; cash, accrual and installment methods of accounting; time value of money; and the Uniform Capitalization Rules. Cross-listed with and equivalent to TA 338. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director. Corequisite(s): LLM 318  and LLM 317A .


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 338A Timing of Income & Expenditure

    2 unit(s)
    This course analyzes problems of allocation income and deduction items to the proper taxable year, including annual accounting concept, tax year selection, accounting methods, and the time value of money. (Offered through the LLM in Taxation and Estate Planning Programs. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director.) Corequisite(s): LLM 318  and LLM 317A .


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 340 Taxation, Politics & the Law

    2 unit(s)
    This course considers utilization of the tax system to achieve public policy goals, including assumptions, problems, and social impacts of alternative public taxation policies. Taxation policy will be examined in light of current political theories and electoral proposals. (Offered through the LLM in Taxation and Estate Planning Programs. JD students seeking to enroll must obtain the approval of the program director.)


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
  

  • LLM - 341E Criminal Tax Investigation & Prosecution

    1 unit(s)
    Students will gain insight into how federal criminal tax cases are investigated, prosecuted, and defended. The seminar course overviews a criminal fraud case from lead source through sentencing, and provides an introduction to tax crimes including evasion, conspiracy, and filing false returns. We begin with a criminal referral and follow the case through prosecution, outlining the initial investigation and pinpointing potential issues and pitfalls. Get a first-hand look at fraud case development including, sufficiency of proof, methods of proof, potential defenses, and ethical issues. Learn to examine the strength of your evidence, understand the equities for-and-against prosecution, and learn to develop an effective trial strategy.


    Select the appropriate link below to view the course catalog and course schedule on the GGU website:
 

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